Updated: Service Reductions to Primary Care and Stanton Hospital in Yellowknife

Public Notice

YELLOWKNIFE (January 7, 2022) - Due to ongoing COVID-19 outbreak response activities, service reductions as described below will be in place in Yellowknife until further announcement.

Update, January 13, 2022 - Public Health will be operating on reduced services as staff are redeployed to assist with COVID operations. Appointments related to Urgent Adult and Child Immunizations, STI testing, TB program, and newborn vaccinations will still be available during this time. Week 2 and week 6 well baby checks will continue, other well-child checks may be deferred unless specific concerns are raised.

Update, January 13, 2022 - Due to staffing challenges, X-Ray services at Yellowknife Primary Care Centre will not be available January 13-14, 2022. During this unexpected closure, the hours for outpatient services will be available from 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM. Primary care clinic services and laboratory services are still available. Regular services are expected to resume Wednesday, January 19, 2022.

Updated Jan 12, 2022: Stanton Rehabilitative Services will be ramped down to urgent and emergent only. Service changes for non-urgent endoscopies and surgeries is expected to continue until January 28.

Primary Care, Public Health and Mental Health Services:

Non-urgent primary care and public health, appointments will be delayed, cancelled, or moved to virtual care where appropriate. Any individual who has a procedure or appointment that is impacted will be contacted directly. Urgent appointments will continue; if you have an issue that is serious or worsening and you require an appointment please book in the appropriate place.

Primary care clinics should continue to be the first call for illness or injuries that do not require emergency services. Where appropriate, in general, most appointments will move to virtual care. All cancellations for all appointment types will be tracked and added to a call-back list. New routine or non-urgent appointments will not be booked, but added to the call-back list. To arrange for new appointments please contact the clinic directly.

Most Mental Health services will be moved to virtual care.  Current clients will be contacted with information on any changes to upcoming appointments.  If you are not currently connected and are in need of support, please call (867) 767-9110 ext. 3 to access services. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 911 or visit your local health care centre.

Stanton Territorial Hospital:

To facilitate staffing of essential areas, non-urgent surgeries and endoscopies will be cancelled or delayed. Any individual who has a procedure or appointment that is impacted will be contacted directly. Urgent and emergency surgical and endoscopy services will continue. Service changes for non-urgent endoscopies and surgeries is expected to continue until January 28. Stanton Rehabilitative Services will be ramped down to urgent and emergent only.

Further service reductions may occur, for more detail on service levels across the NWT, please visit the Service Levels Dashboards.

When seeking health services, you can help reduce the chance of exposure or transmission by coming alone to appointments when you can or bringing the minimum number of support people necessary. The NTHSSA continues to encourage all residents to get vaccinated if you have not yet done so. People who are vaccinated are much less likely to get sick and end up in hospital. If you are feeling sick, please help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by staying home and getting tested.